The present invention relates to apparatus for identifying individual moving objects comprising elements of a group. In particular, the invention relates to apparatus for identifying individual animals such as dairy cows comprising a herd located within a limited area on a ranch.
In ranches on which large numbers of dairy cows are bred, many types of automated machines, such as automatic milkers and automatic feeding machines have been introduced and are widely used. For example, an automatic control feeding system is known in which each cow is fed individually according to its milk yield. The main components of this feeding system which controls the amount of feed received by a cow are a transponder, an interrogator, a feed dispenser having a hopper, and a control box. The transponder is an electronic device which is placed around the neck of a cow and is provided with dials on which the desired amount of feeding time is set for each of the cows being bred. However, this system does not permit identification of each cow. Further, the procedure for setting the dials on the transponder associated with a cow is rather troublesome.
If a large amount of data could be recorded for each individual cow, such data would be useful for future care of each cow and also for accumulating statistics relating to the entire herd.
Branding has conventionally been used for identifying dairy cows belonging to a specific group or herd. Identification of each individual cow within the group has been achieved by the use of a card called a "tab" which bears thereon symbols such as numbers and marks, a tab being fixed to an ear of each of the cows so that it can be seen by a man tending the herd. In order to identify an individual cow, a herdboy must approach the cow, read the contents of its tab and then record the necessary data. This is a rather cumbersome and time consuming procedure.
For example, during milking, in order to get a record of the yield of milk by each dairy cow, a herdboy must read the contents of the tab for that cow. It is apparent that when several hundred cows are involved, many hands are required for such an operation and it has not been practical to make the necessary records.
In the management of herds of dairy cows, it has been found that identification of each cow on a ranch is sufficient if each of the cows is identified at a specified limited area of the ranch. For example, when the dairy cows are moved from an area surrounded by a fence into another area, identification may be made easily at a gate connecting both areas by having a herdboy read the identifying tabs. In connection with milking the cows, the tabs may be confirmed at such a gate.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically identifying a moving object, such as an animal, at a specified place.